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Plague outbreak in Madagascar hits cities, includes more virulent form
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An outbreak of plague in Madagascar has spread to large urban areas, including the capital city and port towns, infecting at least 114 people and killing 21, according to WHO.
The world health agency said it was “rapidly scaling up its response” to the outbreak, which was identified at the end of August. WHO said it released $300,000 in emergency funds as well as critical medical supplies and was asking for $1.5 million more for the response.
Plague is endemic in Madagascar, where it causes around 400 infections per year, mostly in more rural areas. Bubonic plague, usually caused by the bite of an infected flea, is the most common form of the disease and is responsible for most cases in Madagascar. However, nearly half of the cases in the current outbreak have involved pneumonic plague, a less common but more virulent form of the disease that is spread from person-to-person and is always fatal if left untreated, WHO said.
It is the first time that pneumonic plague has been reported in densely populated coastal cities in Madagascar. According to WHO, pneumonic plague has the “potential to trigger severe epidemics if inadequately controlled.”
WHO’s representative to Madagascar said the agency is concerned that the outbreak will spread further because of its presence in large cities and at the start of the epidemic season, which runs from September to April in the large island nation.
According to WHO, the outbreak was detected more than 2 weeks after the first patient died. During that time, patients traveled to different parts of the country, including the capital Antananarivo, WHO said. It classified the national risk as “high” and said there is a “moderate” risk that the outbreak will spread in the region due to frequent flights between Madagascar and other countries. – by Gerard Gallagher